Pet owners like to check on their pets on camera when they are away from home, and 73 percent check their pet cameras while on vacation, according to new research.
The survey, commissioned by Comcast and conducted by Wakefield Research, also found:
- Pet owners love furry distractions. Nearly 3 in 4 (73%) pet owners who check their pets on camera do so while on vacation to sneak a peek at their pet(s) whenever possible. Nearly 3 in 5 (59%) have checked while at a party or social event; more than 2 in 5 (44%) have checked during a workout; during a meeting (38%); while talking on the phone (38%); and while out on a date (32%).
- Pet(s) are more entertaining than family and friends. More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents reported checking in on their pet(s) more often than on social media to see what their family and friends are up to. More than 4 in 5 surveyed (84%) also reported they have shared video clips of their pet(s) on social media platforms.
- Pet(s) lives are not so secret. Eighty-eight percent of respondents have checked in on their pets and caught them doing something naughty, such as sitting in a forbidden place (39%); making excessive noise (36%); eating human food that has been left out (33%); damaging furniture or accessories (30%); hiding or moving objects around the home (30%); relieving him/herself on the floor or on the furniture (26%); or getting stuck somewhere (17%).
- Pet owners want ways to find videos of their pet(s) quickly. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents said that because their cameras only have live feed, it is a bigger hassle to search hours of video of their pet(s) with no way to filter them, than it is to not have any clips of pets at all. They would like a filter feature to help them find clips faster.
Pets on camera give a sense of comfort and relief
Jill Rappaport, award-winning animal advocate, network journalist, best-selling author, and proud parent to six rescues (four of which are seniors), said, “My camera gives me a great sense of comfort and relief in knowing my fur angels are safe at all times. I feel the extra eye on them can be a lifesaver and it gives me needed insurance when I can check in on them from anywhere, at any time. Camera technology has really evolved and is an amazing way for pet owners to check in, especially for people with puppies who need constant monitoring or senior pets that often have health issues.” Click here for more pet care tips from Jill Rappaport.
To make it easier for Xfinity customers to keep tabs on their pets, Comcast has launched a new ‘”pet filter”’ feature on its Xfinity Camera. The filter uses artificial intelligence to quickly sort through hours of footage to identify just those with pets in them (out of the more than 100 motion-triggered video clips a typical camera can generate each day). Click here for more information on Comcast’s AI technology.
“We developed this feature to help our customers quickly filter motion-triggered events by people, vehicles, or pets because we wanted to bring them the video clips that matter most even faster,” said Dennis Mathew, Vice President and General Manager of Comcast’s Xfinity Home. “It’s an intelligent home-security solution that enables our customers to easily check in on their loved ones from anywhere, anytime.”
About the Survey
The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults, ages 18+, who are cat and/or dog owners who use a camera to monitor their pets. It took place between April 24th and May 7th 2019, using an email invitation and an online survey.
